The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[darkmatter]

Darkmatter, can you talk more about goldfish for skeeters?
love the coop and pictures
also, what is a rainguard above the door?

My original rainwater collection was a stock tank, I used Goldfish in the tank to prevent Mosquitoes. (skeeters is missouri speak) I have since switched to a 55gal plastic drum with a spigot for rainwater collection.





As for drip edge, all openings into the coop has something to divert rain from seeping in, the nest boxes outside doors have rubber strips cut from inner tubes stapled over the hinge, they have been in place keeping water & wind out for over twenty years.

 

[galefrances]

My DH is the most wonderful man on the planet.
I told him about the discussion today and how we can't DL because of the wood floors and rotting wood..know what that man said? Hunny don't worry. If the floors rot from all of that deep goodness and beneficial junk for the birds, we will just replace the floors. The coop is so much warmer since you started DL that we are keeping it.

Sounds like your guy is a keeper! And think of it this way: if your floor does rot from the DL, then you'll have the dirt floor that some say is best. Just fill the hole with dirt.

 

[galefrances]

darkmatter: I was going to set up a similar water collection system until someone told me that the roofing would release chemicals into the water. You have the same roof as I do, so I'm guessing you haven't had any issues with contamination. Or do you treat the water?

 

[galefrances]

Hi all. Can you all educate me a bit about the ventilation issue? My coop is a shed type that is shut up tight at night. I have a few small roof openings (like 2 2x6 inch openings) But there is definitely quite a bit of condensation on the inside of the windows at night. I didn't think it was a big deal until I read a post a few pages back about chickens freezing from humidity! Yikes! So when you all say keep it ventilated what exactly are we talking about. My coop is 6x8 and aprox 7' high. It has plexiglass windows on all sides which are closed for night and winter. I have deep shavings inside but not a real DL system as I have roost trays with PDZ and a wood/vinyl floor. Its COLD in there. I have a heat lamp that I do turn on when it reaches the 20s but its off tonight as it's 29-30 out. The lamp keeps the inside just barely above freezing.
Please guide me! What do I need to change? Oh, and several of my girls have the sneezes. Not sure if it's just little colds due to the weather or if I should worry.

Humidity can cause all kinds of problems, respiratory infections, frost bite, and yes even death. You really don't need the heat lamp as the birds will naturally adjust to the temperatures. If you give them heat they can't adjust to the temps and if your power goes out then they're in real trouble. Anyway, back to ventilation: I have an 8x10 coop with vents on the top near the roof on the north and south sides. They're small about 8x12 in. Then I have windows, one each on the east and west side. I keep one window open all the time, just about 3-4 in. The window has 1/2 in hardware cloth and it's on the run side of the coop which is also protected with hardware cloth. It still wasn't enough ventilation so I had my DH remove the eaves on the east side of the coop and replace with hardware cloth so no predators could get in. So far it's been working well. I would have removed the eaves on the other side, but the run was already attached. Removing the eaves is the easiest I think and it won't get any drafts on the chickens. And it gives good air flow. I haven't had any issues with my hens and we get some pretty cold weather here.

 

[darkmatter]

darkmatter: I was going to set up a similar water collection system until someone told me that the roofing would release chemicals into the water. You have the same roof as I do, so I'm guessing you haven't had any issues with contamination. Or do you treat the water?

Why would anyone treat rainwater? How is it different from a pond? The stock tank and the 55 gal barrel grows algae in it, if stuff can live and grow in it, it's healthy enough for livestock. My answer is no, I don't treat the water, I have a leaf screen over the rain gutter to prevent large debris from getting into the barrel. I've never had water or electricity run to the Coop, been using rainwater collection for their water for over twenty years.
I've seen my chickens drink from rainwater mud-puddles formed in the filth of a chicken run and other places----didn't seem to hurt them any. I believe the exposure to sun and air brings a balance to the water.

 

[darkmatter]

Here is a pic of a Broody last year with chicks under her in the corner of my Coop. You can see the deep litter compost which is over a foot deep in this pic at that time. It never smells of anything other then an earthy dirt loam odor. It gets turned over by the chickens as it gets built up with lawnmower clippings.

 

[galefrances]

Quote: Okay, so treating water does sound kind of stupid, but what I meant was removing any chemicals from the roofing material. ( we used to use metal out to treat our well water so I guess I was thinking along those lines. ) I was told that the chemicals used in the roofing could contaminate the water, but obviously that's not true if you've been doing it as long as you have. Thank you for the response. The system you have would be very helpful to me and my DH as it's been pretty difficult to haul the water out to the coop.

 

[Bulldogma]

My DH is the most wonderful man on the planet.
I told him about the discussion today and how we can't DL because of the wood floors and rotting wood..know what that man said? Hunny don't worry. If the floors rot from all of that deep goodness and beneficial junk for the birds, we will just replace the floors. The coop is so much warmer since you started DL that we are keeping it.

Help! My heart just melted!

Since I got my DW the Silkies, she is becoming more and more involved, especially with the handling and helping me with the upkeep. Hehehe, she swears she won't get on here though. Just gonna have to wait and see on that one.

SMART man!!

woohoo....years of chickens and still lots of questions...dang. So glad for you guys!

Welcome to the thread!!
Love that cartoon you posted! Too funny!

That was the Dec.26, and he is there every day and night. He begins to freak out if I put the girls up and he is outside. I call him, and he comes through the gate and heads straight to the roost! I thinks it hugely funny!
Thanks for letting me ramble a bit.

You've inherited a guinea! Very cool - especially if it gets along with your chickens!

 

[stonykill]

4 inches of fresh snow this morning. Killed 3 roo's 1st thing in it. WOW is that messy

. Everyone is out and fed now. Water is hot. Time to get the yukky pants on and pluck. Only 3 this morning. 3 or 4 more head to freezer camp over the weekend. Maybe more. Too many young boys harrassing the pullets and hens.

 

[delisha]

4 inches of fresh snow this morning. Killed 3 roo's 1st thing in it. WOW is that messy

. Everyone is out and fed now. Water is hot. Time to get the yukky pants on and pluck. Only 3 this morning. 3 or 4 more head to freezer camp over the weekend. Maybe more. Too many young boys harrassing the pullets and hens.

Fresh red on all the white pretty must be shocking to look at.